Wednesday, August 06, 2008
“scientific falsehoods being purveyed in the name of religion.”
I had suggested that the elevation of DUP MLA Mervyn Storey to Chairman of the Assembly’s Education Committee could see “more skirmishes ahead in the battle against The Un-Enlightenment.” And Lo! It came to pass.. The NewsLetter today carries his comments on his “personal” belief that
“Creationism is not for the RE class because I believe that it can stand scientific scrutiny and that is a debate which I am quite happy to encourage and be part of. The issue for the current Education Minister (Caitriona Ruane] is that she tells us she’s all for equality – surely if that is the case, you can’t have one set of interpretations being taught at the expense of others.”
Time for the introduction of those guidelines, in particular - “The use of the word ‘theory’ can mislead those not familiar with science..” Fortunately Richard Dawkins was around yesterday to respond in The NewsLetter article
“I have no objection to all kinds of daft ideas being taught in comparative religion classes but in science what we should teach is what there is evidence for and children should be encouraged to examine evidence,” he said. “If this politician (Mr Storey] wants to import creationism into science classes, I’m wondering which kind of creationism – Hindu creationism, Jewish creationism, Babylonian creationism, Aztec creationism?”
Or indeed His Noodly Appendage’s creationism.. The article also makes mention of the on-going pressure from young-Earthers over educational material at the Giant’s Causeway Centre. Adds Knowledge is, indeed, power.
Pete Baker @ 10:12 AM
Sticking to the theme of questionable science imposed on the back of religious/philosophical ideology i invite further examination of local imposition.
To provide some perspective on the Primary Movement study by QUB (from an idea from CCEA) it may be useful to include criticisms already highlighted about this area in the published literature. Why is Martin McPhilip’s name not to be found as an investigator on the paper?
Possibly because as stated in an abstract in Dyslexia 2004 Nov;10(4);316-38 ..."the persistence of primary reflexes cannot be used as a causal model for reading difficulties, including dyslexia.”
The real question to be answered is why were CCEA (an exams and curriculum quango) initiating studies in this area?
Back to the Trojan Horse agenda again.
Posted by on Aug 11, 2008 @ 09:38 AMBefore the floods of self-certification references deluge the thread intrepid blog investigators may wish to read:
The Psychologist Vol 14 No 2 from February 2001The Title of the article is; On Reading, Reflex and Research.
It features Martin McPhillips. This quotation may help explain how the old saying “if at first you don’t suceed..... now ends ...try CCEA.
......"One would expect research grants to be
pouring in for Martin. ‘No,’ he smiled. The
Dyslexia Project had been turned down for
funding by numerous bodies. ‘We seem to
fall between two stools. The programme is
too medical for the educational grants and
too educational for the medical grants. Also
we are coming at learning from a different
dimension.’
In that case will I see Martin McPhillips
brushing the streets of Belfast next week?
I asked. He smiled and told me the job
security would be welcome. The study was
only possible because of funding from the
Peter F. Smith Charitable Trust. ‘Quite
a few times I have come into the office
and started to pack my bags because
I could not see a way of continuing.
Sometimes I wondered should I just give
up and move to steady employment. My
wife and two children noticed I was a lot
grumpier,’ he smiled. However, seeing the
kids do well makes it all worthwhile.”....Oh shucks. What next - intelligent design?
How much shall we pay Mervyn and the other advocates?
Posted by on Aug 11, 2008 @ 01:44 PMhttp://rapidshare.com/files/136767099/dawkins_lennox.rar
Gents: Here is a link to the Dawkins_Lennox debate. I have all rounds, except maybe the last one to Lennox. Richard “Continuing Education” Dawkins mught have shaded the last round by getting jesus to intervene a la WW Wrestling.
Hope this educates those of you who are not totally brain dead.
|No time now as some of us have to work foor a living.
Posted by on Aug 12, 2008 @ 12:50 PM
